The Commissioners announced, "The seat of Justice of Hancock County shall be known and designated by the name and title of Greenfield.

Early settlers built along the two creeks which flow south through Center Township, which includes Greenfield.

The greatest single period of growth began in 1887 when natural gas was discovered in the area.

A statue of James Whitcomb Riley, which stands in front of the Hancock County Courthouse, was erected in 1918.

Each year, during the Riley Festival in October, the city's school children parade to the statue to place flowers around it.

The Charles Barr House, Greenfield Courthouse Square Historic District, Greenfield Residential Historic District, Lilly Biological Laboratories, Lincoln Park School, and James Whitcomb Riley House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Interstate 70 parallels US-40, passing through the northern limits of Greenfield with access from Exit 104.

Indiana State Road 9 (State Street) crosses US-40 in the center of Greenfield and leads north 15 miles (24 km) to Pendleton and south 18 miles (29 km) to Shelbyville.

[13] Located on the east side of historic downtown lies Riley Park, in which flows the Brandywine Creek, a south-flowing tributary of the Big Blue River and part of the watershed of the East Fork White River.

Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation services the city of Greenfield and surrounding areas in central Hancock County.

St. Michael's School also serves Greenfield, offering Pre-kindergarten through Grade 8.

It is a private Catholic School that won the Blue Ribbon Award and has a student-teacher ratio of 8:1.

Each year, a small group of high school students from Greenfield and Kakuda are chosen to travel to each sister city, respectively, and will stay with a host family for ten days, most expenses paid, thanks to local donations.

The intersection of State Road 9 and US 40 is closed, and the downtown courthouse square is filled with vendors and exhibitors.